Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
Today, Gov. Pat McCrory is scheduled to sign the North Carolina Farm Act of 2016, a bill that contains some good things for agriculture and the NCDA&CS.
In recent years, state lawmakers have paid more attention to regulatory hurdles facing N.C. farmers, and they’ve tried to make improvements. This year’s Farm Act continues that effort.
Here are some of the items included in the legislation:
- The Farm Act makes it easier for school boards to purchase food grown and raised in North Carolina. That’s a win for school kids and farmers, Commissioner Troxler says.
- The law streamlines the inspection process for rendering plants.
- The legislation establishes training for soil and water district supervisors.
- The Farm Act clarifies that mulch, ornamental plants and other horticultural products are eligible for the agricultural use exemption from the state’s sedimentation law.
The Farm Act also provides additional tools for the NCDA&CS to do its work. Namely, the law beefs up the department’s ability to ensure that mattresses and other sleep products are properly branded and are not adulterated.
In addition, the law makes it clear that agricultural emergency response teams are on the same footing as other emergency responders who help during and after disasters.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about the Farm Act of 2016.
[Audio:/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_7-26-16.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for July 26]
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